Comments on: Sweet 16 results 12-13 final update

By: ifo manao

ifo manao — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 21:03:34 +0000

cindy does a wonderful job no rub here. all of us are exuberant wahine fans that at times are a bit delusional. wuj, provides us with stuff we as fans do not want to hear… specifically something that the coach admitted
himself and that hawaii was not a good blocking team. prior to the wuj post, i was tempted to ask who was
responsible for teaching aspects of blocking? i am not in anyway a volleyball guru but in a broad sense see the same issues as this astute poster does.

By: Kazu

Kazu — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 20:56:50 +0000

Enjoy the tournament folks even without UH. Starts soon.

By: eMpTy

eMpTy — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 20:21:19 +0000

wuj. It seems that the flow of the game would dictate cause BYU who lived up to their reputation of being one of the top blocking teams and showed it against Hawaii had only 4 blocks against USC. As Cindy said, matchups do make a difference. Thank you Cindy for all you do. Go Wahine.

By: Walkoff Balk

Walkoff Balk — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 20:16:29 +0000

What was the attendance at the USC-BYU match?

By: ifo manoa

ifo manoa — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 19:14:47 +0000

Cindy. No argument bout matchups. Just an observatilon about our expectations versus the reality of the environment that keep certain teams in the elite sixteen year after year…..

By: wop ur jaws

wop ur jaws — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 18:35:58 +0000

28. Cindy with respect I don’t agree about fundamentals being sound. Not for everyone that are starting IMHO. If that was the case, Manu wouldn’t have been a major target for serves. And in fact by the final stages of the season, she was replaced in the back row for all three rotations. I’ve heard of subbing a blocking specialist in the back, but an OH? She isn’t fundamentally sound in her passing at all. As for the blocking fundamentals…yikes. The post blockers don’t even know how to set the block 80 percent of the time. And as for the middle blockers, fundamentally, they don’t even have the proper blocking mechanics 80 percent of the time. Anticipation, preparation and explosive movement. Arms angle in towards the court. Penetrate over low and tight and come off the net fast and set for offense. Seriously, thousands of fans in the stands see it. Big holes, seams, wrong direction is not sound fundamentals. If UH were fundamentally sound, Mita wouldn’t be chasing errant passes half the time. What makes her a great setter, is that she can chase down bad passes and put up a pretty decent set. And as I watched yesterday, the teams that won, have improved throughout the season. The blocking – solid, the setting – on the money, the defense – wow perfect passes. Fundamentals, its not the only thing you need to win. But when you get this deep in the post season, it will keep you in the game. Matching up with a team is important, but when you have sound fundamentals all around, a couple of dynamic players, a winning system/program with experience and a good game plan and perfect execution, you have a contender. In the end, it will come down to a block here, a service ace there and players that can carry the team.

By: Cindy Luis

Cindy Luis — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 17:13:25 +0000

26. that was said as well in 2009 and UH made the final four.
it’s all about the match ups sometime.

By: Cindy Luis

Cindy Luis — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 17:07:55 +0000

21. you don’t know that. It’s why they play the game.
IF UH had been in the Pac-12 lately, likely they wouldn’t have as many wins. However, as 23 says, it would be a different playing field for UH if they were in the Pac-12 with its resources.
You are assessing things as of late, as of the BCS influence, the RPI bias and the selection committees agenda
All you have to do is look at who was winning the national titles in the 80s and 90s and up to about 2000 when the landscape drastically changed. The non-BCS conferences getting 1 bid. Back when it was a fairer playing field, It was the Big West and the Pac-10. The odds are agains the non-BCS schools when, say, a Pac-12 gets nine teams in, the SEC 8.
BTW, as for having 500 wins. Shoji had over 400 wins by 1990. And he did that by beating the Pac-10 schools. It’s just that now that conference cares about volleyball and has the resources to fund it
24. The Wahine fundamentals are strong. No one was complaining when they were winning.

By: ifo manao

ifo manao — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 16:58:20 +0000

wop ur jaws; at the risk of being labeled ‘not a real wahine’ fan, man, i had the same feeling when watching t nebraska and usc take apart what i thought were final 4 caliber WCC teams. hawaiis level of talent simply
does not play at this level. we are fortunate to make it to the 1/2 rounds and i think hawaii will continue to be successful at this level but no more unless we can get top 10 recruits that go to penn state, nebraska, usc, and stanford. it’s really too tough. although coach shoji does wonders with what he gets, theres still at delta that can’t be made up when you look at the play of the top eight. just my opinion…

By: wop ur jaws

wop ur jaws — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 10:31:34 +0000

oops that’s supposed be you are not “your”.